Non-organic dairy products are food items manufactured from the milk of dairy animals that are raised in factory farms that do not adhere to the standards of dairy farming practices set forth by the US Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program.

Non-organic dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, formula milk, butter and ice cream are the most widely available to the consumer public as these are relatively cheaper and have a longer shelf life, quite unlike their organic counterparts like organic cottage cheese or raw cheese from grass-fed cows, for instance. But while non-organic dairy products are indeed more affordable and last longer, consuming these food items may cause considerable harm to your health.

Read on and find out the negative effects of non-organic dairy products and why the Superhuman Food Pyramid recommends you avoid them as a source of protein.

Risks of Non-Organic Dairy Products:

Non-organic dairy products come from the milk of animals like dairy cattle that have been raised in concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs. Animals raised in CAFOs, better known as feedlots, are regularly given a handful of pharmaceuticals. This is done to guarantee optimum production as well as to ensure that diseases and infections are managed.

One of the routinely administered is recombinant bovine growth hormone or rBGH, a man-made artificial hormone that induces milk production in dairy animals. According to the American Cancer Society, BGH is not considerably higher in milk from cows treated with rBGH. BGH is not active in humans as well, so ingesting milk from rBGH-treated cows is not supposed to cause health problems in humans.

According to the ACS, it is the significantly higher levels of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in rBGH-administered cows that is of greater concern. IGF-1 is a hormone that aids in the growth of certain cells. Several studies have pointed out the link between higher levels of IGF-1 in humans to increased risks for colorectal, prostate, breast, and other types of cancers. IGF-1 in pasteurized rGBH-tainted milk appears to even have higher bioactivity and was found to have cancer-cell-growth effects in mature laboratory rats that have only been exposed short-term. Said study stated that absorption of IGF-1 may likely be higher in human infants as well.

Another concern is that non-organic dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, formula milk, butter and ice cream are highly likely contaminated with pesticides, particularly organophosphates. Organophosphates are spread along the spines of dairy cattle to ward off warble flies. In a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, it was found that children with higher levels of organophosphate by-products in their urine, the greater the likelihood that they had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD. What’s alarming is that the subjects used were not particularly exposed to high levels of organophosphates. These children did not live in or near petrochemical manufacturing plants or dairy farms and were only exposed to normal levels of pesticides.

As was mentioned, dairy animals like cattle are routinely injected with rBGH so as to ensure optimum milk production daily. Inducing milk production beyond the normal capacity results in a variety of illnesses like mastitis, the inflammation of the udders, in these animals. To combat said conditions, non-organic dairy animals are often treated with a concoction of antibiotics, vaccines, and potent painkillers, all of which leave traces in the milk, as well as residues of pus that come from the inflamed cows’ mammary glands. Of particular concern is the wanton use of antibiotics though as researchers believe that it may cause antibiotics-resistance in humans.

In the next post, I’ll tell you the negative effects of processed cheeses and why you should avoid them to succeed in your quest to Become Superhuman.

In the meantime, if you care to jump ahead, here is a complete listing of the protein sources on Superhuman Food Pyramid:

If you have questions, comments or feedback about the negative effects of non-organic dairy products, the Superhuman Food Pyramid, this website, or other aspects of Becoming Superhuman, then leave your thoughts below, as well as any tips you have on the negative effects of non-organic dairy products.

Author Bio: Ben Greenfield

Ben Greenfield is head coach of the Superhuman Coach Network, and an author, speaker and consultant. His blog is at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com and he can be hired for coaching at http://www.greenfieldfitnesssystems.com.

His credentials include:

Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology Personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta, the “Harvard” of bicycle fitting schools Over 10 years experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports

Ben hosts the highly popular fitness, nutrition and wellness website at http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com, which features blogs, podcasts, and product reviews from Ben. He is a frequent contributor to Triathlete magazine and LAVA magazine, Endurance Planet (http://www.enduranceplanet.com), the outdoor sports magazine OutThere Monthly and has been featured in WebMD, the Spokesman-Review, Inlander magazine, In-Health magazine, Fit-Pro magazine, PTontheNet, Prevention magazine, Women’s Running magazine, and Inside Triathlon magazine.

As a public speaker on fitness, nutrition, and training, Ben hosts one of the top ranked fitness podcasts in iTunes, the Get-Fit Guy (http://www.GetFitGuy.com), and has been a keynote lecturer at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships Medical Conference, the Coeur D’ Alene Ironman Medical Conference, USAT Art & Science of Coaching Symposium, Can-Fit-Pro Conference, Pilgrim’s Wellness Center Education Series, Fleet Feet Sports Endurance Sports Clinic and REI Nutrition Clinic. He sits on the board of directors for Tri-Fusion triathlon team, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and is the official coach for the YoungTri. As a triathlon coach and competitor, Ben competes at Ironman and Half-Ironman World Championships, holds a ranking as of USAT’s top ranked age grouper triathletes, and competes in 15-20 triathlons each year, both nationally and internationally.

Disclaimer: This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user's own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.